1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to folding camping trailers having expandable beds and, more particularly, to a bed support mechanism for expandable beds in a folding camping trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Folding camping trailers typically have a trailer body with an extendable hard-shell top portion. In addition, the trailer body usually includes two expandable beds that extend slidably outward from end walls of the trailer body. The expandable beds provide a usable sleeping area that is larger than the living area defined by the trailer body alone. Prior to the use of expandable beds in folding camping trailers, the sleeping area of the beds in folding camping trailers was generally constrained by the living area defined by the trailer body. The expandable beds, when extended outward from the end walls of the trailer body to their opened position, typically each require a support structure that extends between the expandable beds and the trailer body.
One known support structure for supporting expandable beds in the opened position is detachable poles. The detachable poles each connect at one end to an underside of the expandable beds and connect at the other end to the trailer body. However, this arrangement has significant disadvantages. First, the detachable poles must be housed within the trailer body until it is time to set up the expandable beds. Because the poles are not attached to the expandable beds or to the trailer body, they can easily become misplaced or damaged. In addition, the detachable poles are difficult to install. After extending one of the expandable beds, the user of the folding camping trailer connects one end of the detachable pole to a bracket or other connecting structure located on the underside of the expandable bed. After one end of the detachable pole is in place, the user of the folding camping trailer must position himself or herself underneath the expandable bed and push upward with his or her back or head so that the second end of the detachable pole may be attached to a connecting structure located on the trailer body. This step in the set up process is particularly labor intensive and requires a significant degree of muscle strength. In addition, a similar labor intensive procedure must be followed in reverse to disassemble the expandable bed.
Another known prior art solution also utilizes poles or posts as the support structure for the expandable beds, but permanently attaches both ends of the poles to the folding camping trailer. The first end of each of the poles is connected to the underside of the expandable beds and the second end of each of the poles is connected to the trailer body. Specifically, in this prior art arrangement, the first end of each of the poles includes a roller that is rotatably received in a groove or track formed in the underside of the expandable beds. The second end of the each of the poles is pivotally connected to the trailer body. An advantage of this arrangement is that the poles are always attached to the expandable beds whether the expandable beds are in the closed or opened position. Thus, the poles cannot be misplaced and set up of the expandable beds is simplified. However, the roller-track configuration by which the "roller" end of the poles is connected to the expandable beds is expensive to manufacture. In addition, the roller end of the poles often jams in the track formed in the underside of the expandable beds.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a folding camping trailer with expandable beds having a simplified and cost-effective bed support apparatus for supporting the expandable beds in the opened position. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bed support apparatus for expandable beds in a folding camping trailer that makes set up of the expandable beds easier and less labor intensive. It is a further object of the present invention to generally overcome the disadvantages present in prior art bed support arrangements.